518 MICRO-ORGAlNflSMS IN WATER 



STEEPTOTHEIX FOEESTEEI (Cohn) 



I LIQUE FIES GELA TINE | 



Authority. — Gombert, Recherches exp^rivi. suj' les Microbes des Conjonc- 

 lives a VEtat normal, Montpellier, 1889. Also Almquist, ' Untersuchungen 

 ueber einige Bacteriengattungen mit Mycelien,' Zeitschriftf. Hygiene, vol. viii., 

 1890, p. 195. Also Gasperini, ' Recherches morph. et biol. sur un Microorgan. 

 de 1' Atmosphere, le Streptothrix Fcersteri,' Ann. de MicrograpMe de Miquel, 

 July and August, 1890. Also G. Eoux, PrAcis d^ Analyse microhiologique des 

 Eaux, Paris, 1892, p. 369. 



"Where Found. — Found first in the concretions of the lachrymal duet by 

 Fcerster, Cohn, &c. ; it has also been found in air, and in salt and fresh water by 

 Almquist and Eoux. Eoux assumes the Streptothrix found in water by him 

 and Almquist to be identical with that described by Gombert. Almquist states 

 that his Streptothrix did not liquefy gelatine. 



Microscopic Appearance. — Long filaments with rounded ends, rectilinear, or 

 more often undulatory or spiral -shaped. From 0'5 fi to 0'6 /t broad and extremely 

 variable in length, from 4 fj. and 6 (U to 92 fi, and sometimes longer. Forms spores 

 0*8 fj. in diameter. Not properly motile. (Gombert.) 



Cultures. — 



Gelatine Plates. — Forms in four or five days small greyish white cloudy 

 spots in the depth of tbe gelatine. They have an opaque dark grey centre, 

 whilst the periphery is white and semi-transparent. The gelatine is depressed 

 in the vicinity of the colony. On endeavouring to detach a portion of the 

 colony with a platinum needle the whole is removed. Under a low power they 

 are blackish in colour, and the periphery consists of a number of short, irregular, 

 and stiff hairs, recalling tbe appearance of a chestnut in its spinose capsule. 

 The surrounding gelatine does not become brown, as is characteristic of the 

 growth of Cladothrix cultures. Slow liquefaction of the gelatine ensues. 

 (Gombert.) 



Agae-agab. — Grows abundantly and rapidly at both 20° and 37° C. A 

 whitish thin crust forms over the growth, which loses at once its white colour 

 when washed over with liquids. (Almquist.) 



Broth. — Forms at the end of a few days at 37° C. white spinose spherules, 

 which float in the liquid or attach themselves to the walls of the tube. The 

 liquid remains clear and becomes slightly darker, but never assumes the brown 

 tint characteristic of Cladothrix dichotoma. (Gombert.) 



Sterilised Tap-water.— Grows fairly well. 



Remarks. — Not pathogenic to animals (Gombert, Gasperini, and Eoux). 



